McLean County Times

A bill filed by Rep. Dan Caulkins last year in an attempt to address the statewide teacher shortage cleared the House of Representatives last week. 

House Bill 4382 offers incentive for the Professional Educator License (PEL) teacher certification to be renewed by reducing the penalty for certification lapse from $500 to $100 at most. 

"This bill allows teachers who let their license expire come back into the teaching profession for less than the $500 that is required," Caulkins said on the House floor when the bill cleared on April 15. "I hope that this bill will encourage teachers to renew their license and get back in the classroom. We have a serious lack of teachers and I would support an aye vote."

In January of 2020, Caulkins said he introduced the bill after a constituent informed him that she had to pay hundreds of dollars in penalties to renew her license to come out of retirement to help teach. 

“We have a teacher shortage not only in central Illinois, but the state as well,” said Caulkins. “Charging retired educators a $500 penalty to return to the classroom when there is a teacher shortage seems to be counterintuitive. The state should not be in the business of penalizing retired teachers that want to come back and help educate our next generation."

Over 5,200 teaching positions were open across the state in the fall of 2019, and sizable penalties are obstacles for many teachers to come out of retirement to help.

“The sooner we make it easier for retired teachers to return to the classroom, the better off we will be," Caulkins said. "We should encourage experienced educators to return to the classroom rather than penalizing them for allowing their teaching license to lapse.”